Tuesday 24 December 2013

The Long History Of Poems Of Emotion

By Harriett Crosby


A case can be made that emotional stimulus is at the root of all poetry, and poems of emotion are all that there are. Whether the subject is life, physical love, spiritual connection with a deity or another human being, or war, people have always tried to immortalize events in words, both spoken or written.

The Bible is full of poetry, as are other books of religious instruction and inspiration. The creation story, with its reiteration of the evenings and the mornings of each succeeding day, sets the tone. The Song of Moses celebrates God's victory at the Red Sea. The Song of Solomon celebrates human love, both physical and spiritual, within the framework of God's p;ans and purposes. David cries out to the Lord in the psalms, which are full of heartfelt praise, repentance, thanksgiving, and promise.

Oral traditions brings us epics about heroes and victories. Many of them have been preserved in writing, but undoubtedly others are lost forever. The origin stories of most races are poetic in nature. It is the emotional overtone to tradition that keeps it alive in our memories, while dry history lessons may be quickly forgotten.

Poetry helps us by making great events or even fleeting things memorable. All of us know some poetry, no matter how hard we try to avoid the subject. Everyone knows that the words 'No man is an island' come from some poem or other; no one would try to pass that phrase off as original. 'To be or not to be' is another phrase that resonates down the ages, whether it is on stage or as a playground joke.

This is why poetry is part of education. We remember important events that have been made the subject of a famous poem, even if we forget dates and other pertinent data. When our emotions are stirred, we remember that Abraham Lincoln was president during the Civil War or that Paul Revere was an American patriot.

Love poems have special significance because almost everyone has his or her own love story. Poets have always known that new love, tragically unrequited love, enduring love, and even love between man and his best friend the dog make popular subjects. The best poetry brings love alive to its readers in a way that they may never have seen it before. The perfect expression of emotion is one of the poet's highest gifts to mankind.

In earlier days, people who had any leisure at all had time for poetry. It was a way to pass the time on a sunny afternoon or by the fireside on a long winter's evening. Now people spend those hours at the computer or in front of the television. However, poetry is still being written and can still enrich our lives, if we allow it a part of our time and attention.

Poems of emotion - the only kind there are, actually - bring out the best of mankind or help us deal with the worst.




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